


Black Canary and the Birds of Prey

by fezwearingjellybananas



Series: DC TV Femslash Week 2017 [7]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Laurel Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 04:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12290898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fezwearingjellybananas/pseuds/fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: Laurel Lance dies in Star City, 2016. Nine months later, she wakes up, becomes a metahuman, meets Vixen, Hawkgirl, and Oracle, and goes looking for adventure





	Black Canary and the Birds of Prey

The room was too bright. The room shouldn't be this bright, should it?

Did Sara mention bright lights after she died? Laurel couldn't remember.

There was music too. She knew that song. And talking. She could focus on the talking. 

"-okay." Barry. Why was Barry here? Zoom-

"Laurel." A light shone in her eye. Caitlin? Responsive, responsive was an important word, she knew that word, she-

"Laurel, you're at STAR Labs," Barry said.

"What happened?" Laurel croaked.

"Nine month comas seem to be a common theme with metahumans?" Cisco offered.

* * *

 

"-and so Oliver's fighting this Prometheus guy, we're trying to stop Savitar killing Iris, and Barry is not allowed to time travel anymore," Cisco finished.

"And you fought my evil doppelganger?"

"She's scary."

"Nine months. I guess I know how Barry feels now."

"I didn't miss that many metahumans," Barry said, skidding back in, his passenger trying to balance. "Just the majority of Iris and Eddie's relationship. And three quarters of 2014, I hear a lot happened. There you go, Mister Lance, sir."

"Dad," Laurel said.

* * *

 

"Good news everyone," Barry said. "Kyle Nimbus is back."

"Who?" Laurel asked.

"Nimbus was one of the first metahumans Barry faced," Caitlin said. "He has the ability to become hydrogen cyanide mixed with a sedative."

"We named him the Mist," Cisco said. "My earlier work may need some improvement."

"I was still the Streak at the time, speaking of bad names," Barry said.

"I thought it was a good name," Iris said.

"Nimbus was killing people involved in his trial. Joe arrested him."

"That was the day he revealed he knew about me and Eddie, wasn't it? He was at Iron Heights visiting Henry, Barry gave him the antidote Caitlin made. Do you still have some?"

"I'm sure I must have the file," Caitlin said.

"I could bring you another sample," Barry said.

"No," Iris and Caitlin said.

"Need a hand?" Laurel asked.

"You just woke up," Barry said.

"Dude, you ran to Star City then unwound a tornado a few hours after finding out you have super speed," Cisco said. "You are the last person to suggest taking things slow."

* * *

 

Cisco had very helpfully provided Laurel with a gas mask, and Barry and Wally got straight to work on evacuating everyone from the bank.

"You really need to change banks, Caitlin," Cisco said.

"How did you beat him last time?" Laurel asked, still failing to punch a gas.

"Wore him out," Barry said. Wally span his arms, creating a gust of wind to scatter Nimbus for a moment. "He's gotten stronger though."

"You could try throwing lightning," Wally said.

"You can throw lightning?" 

"Do not destroy my bank," Caitlin said.

Nimbus was holding his gas form for much shorter lengths of time. Laurel managed to land a few hits. He was more focused on Barry than her and Wally.

Barry, who seemed to have lost his gas mask.

Barry, who Nimbus was about to poison. Again, apparently.

Laurel screamed.

* * *

"I guess we know what your power is now," Wally said. 

"And that I don't need to finish this new Canary Cry," Cisco said.

"You could give it to Sara next time she's around," Laurel suggested. Maybe the Cry had been why she'd developed this particular ability. But Cisco had said Black Siren, her evil Earth-2 self, had the same one. 

She'd screamed, and a sonic blast had scattered Nimbus, giving Barry time to jump to his feet. Nimbus had fallen to the ground after that, and Laurel had knocked him out with a punch. Which hurt. It looked like Wally and Barry were ahead of her with their super healing. She might have recovered in the coma, and it seemed to be a little faster, but if she broke a bone it wasn't going to be fully healed in a few hours.

Barry had dropped Nimbus off with CCPD. That was the end of that.

They had dinner at Iris and Barry's. That was nice. Barry was pretty good at cooking, and his speed meant he could make twelve things at once, even if he did still have to slow down and wait for the oven.

Iris sat next to Laurel after everyone left, and Barry tidied up slowly.

"What will you do now?" Iris asked.

"I don't know."

"You're not going back to Star City?"

"Maybe. I'll say hi to everyone, but I think I need some time to get used to all this. I might travel for a while."

"In time or between Earths? Because we have options for both." Iris and Laurel laughed.

"Just around. I don't know. I love being the Black Canary. I'm sure I'll come back. But I need some time."

"There's always a space for you on Team Flash. Metahumans are our thing, and we need more girls. Has Cisco told you about his new friend from Earth-19 yet?"

"He hasn't stopped."

* * *

 

Her friends in Star City seemed a little disappointed Laurel wouldn't be joining them again just yet, but they did mention another vigilante with the same ability as her. Laurel told them to go looking. She'd meet this Tina Boland later.

The Star City team might be disappointed, but they understood. She needed time to think. She'd missed nine months, and a lot had changed. Barry had said he mostly coped by focusing on the Flash, and he had Cisco, Caitlin, Joe, Iris, and Eddie, even evil Wells who was actually Eobard Thawne. But team Flash were also preoccupied with Savitar, and she could see they were not dealing well with that. And Sara had gone travelling after she came back to life, before finding her place with the Legends. Maybe Laurel would find somewhere like that, or maybe she'd go back to Star City later. Either way, leaving felt right for now. So, she said her goodbyes, and tried to work out where to go.

She stopped in at her mother's, and made her way across the country.

* * *

"Dinah Drake, really? You really are replacing me, Felicity." Laurel laughed.

"No one could ever replace you."

"We'll have to have words about names."

"So you're coming back?"

"Not just yet. Hang on." Laurel looked down from the window in her hotel room. "Felicity, I'll call you back. Say hi to everyone for me."

Laurel hung up and jumped down into the alley.

"Two on one? That doesn't seem fair

"Who are you?" the first mugger asked. He pointed a knife at her.

"That's not going to end well for you."

Someone swooped in from above and kicked him in the head. The second mugger took one look and ran. Laurel let out a cry, and he tripped.

"I heard you were up, Canary."

"Hi, Vixen."

* * *

 

Before Laurel had left Central, Cisco had insisted on giving her a costume because "you never know what trouble you'll find". The new costume had a blue top, and a black leather ("it's a high-density polymer that should hopefully protect you in a fight, Laurel, it's not leather") jacket to go over it. Just switch out the bottom half (similar to her old costume) for some shorts and fishnets, add some boots, she could fit in at a rock concert. The mask was the same as her old one.

And patrolling with Mari McCabe was fun. Mari was fun.

Maybe that was what brought her to Detroit. She hadn't intentionally gone looking for Mari, but she was glad she'd found her. 

Maybe she'd stay in Detroit for a while.

* * *

 

Or not.

* * *

 

Whoever Oracle was, they knew Laurel was the Black Canary. They knew she was with Mari, they knew Mari was Vixen. Felicity couldn't find anything, and nor could her friends at Helix, whatever that was. John didn't sound impressed, so Laurel didn't ask.

There had been rumours about Oracle, but no one knew anything about them.

Going to the address they'd sent would be a terrible idea.

Terrible, Mari agreed. And it was in Gotham. Everyone knew what Gotham was like, it was even worse than Star City. The crime rate was through the roof. They said nine out of ten crimes happened in Gotham. Laurel was fairly sure that was an exaggeration, but going to Gotham would not end well.

So, Laurel packed her stuff, and went.

* * *

 

"I thought you stayed in Detroit," Laurel said. Mari sat opposite her on the train.

"Not always. You're going to Gotham, you're going to need back up."

"Thanks."

"You know I could have flown you."

"If I wanted to get there quickly I would have called Barry or Wally."

"How are they?"

"Determined."

"And Iris?"

"I think she's more scared than she's letting on. She'll be okay."

"Good."

* * *

 

Gotham had an odd air hanging over it, like everyone was expecting something to go wrong. Laurel could tell why it was the setting for so many disaster films. There still seemed to be vines from Poison Ivy's last attack growing through cracks in the pavement. The buildings looked like they hadn't been updated since the nineteen fifties, and a fog was hanging over the city.

At least it was occasionally sunny in Star City.

The address Oracle had sent was a small café, not far from the headquarter of GCPD, and, unlike the rest of the city, looked fairly welcoming, even if two of the three occupants were not. The two ladies by the door couldn't have been older than Thea, if that, and both seemed to be watching them with suspicion. 

Laurel wasn't sure where Oracle was- or if Oracle was one of them- but she knew the third occupant.

"Kendra?"

"Laurel, hi, you're okay." Kendra hugged her. "Sara said you got hurt."

"Long story," Laurel said. "This is Mari."

"Hi," Mari said.

"Is Sara here?" Laurel asked.

"No, we stopped Savage and Carter and I left the  _Waverider_. We thought we'd try for a normal life."

"But you've developed a taste for adventure?"

"Something like that. What are you two doing here?"

"Meeting someone," Mari said. "I assume you're here for the same reason?"

One of the ladies stood and opened the door. A lady in a wheelchair pushed herself in, and she muttered something to her. The lady pushed herself over to them.

"Black Canary, Hawkgirl, and Vixen."

"You must be Oracle," Laurel said. 

"How do you know who we are?" Mari asked.

"Computer skills," Oracle said. "Say hi to Felicity Smoak for me."

"I think she's a little in love with you," Laurel said. She sat down next to Kendra and Mari sat on her other side. "Why are we here?"

"I need your help."

Oracle looked sincere. Laurel just couldn't work out what she'd need help from the three of them. Nothing good, that was for certain.

"Have any of you heard of Batwoman?"

"Rumours," Mari said.

"I used to be Batgirl. There was an incident I'd rather not talk about."

"You know Batwoman and you're asking for our help?"

"She doesn't leave Gotham. None of them do, at least, as little as they can. And they've all been worried since this. Overprotective."

"People do that," Laurel said. "My friends can be the same. I assume that's why yours are here?"

"They thought meeting with three superpowered ladies could go wrong."

"Laurel's amazing without the powers," Mari said.

"Thanks," Laurel said. "You are too."

"I've heard," Oracle said. "And Hawkgirl appears all over history."

"Kendra. I reincarnate. Also I went time travelling for a while. What can we do to help?"

* * *

Barbara- Barbara Gordon, Oracle had introduced herself before they'd left- had a file on something going down in Coast City. She wasn't sure what, but it looked like it involved a man in a glowing green suit. 

Which is where they came in.

Mysterious suit guy wore a mask, and could fly. Maybe a metahuman, trying his hand at some heroics. Though he'd waited a long time before trying it. And Laurel assumed he wasn't working alone.

It was also possible he was dabbling in super-villainy. Central City had more than their fair share of metahumans who did. And it was possible to get metahuman powers not from a particle accelerator. Wally had told her about Alchemy, and Laurel herself hadn't been in Central that night. Caitlin had suggested it could have developed after they recreated the explosion so Barry could regain his speed, but she couldn't say for certain. And then there had been Deathbolt who Ray and Cisco had dealt with, he hadn't been in Central at the time.

A mystery they'd have to answer another time.

They had a few to solve. Like who mysterious suit guy was.

And where to find him.

They'd booked one room at a cheap chain hotel. One of the beds was a double, and Laurel and Mari offered to share. It wasn't a small bed, plenty of room for them both.

"Do we have a plan?" Mari asked.

"There's a reporter who's agreed to meet us tomorrow afternoon," Barbara said. "She might know where to start looking."

"We should probably get some sleep then," Laurel said.

Kendra called Carter quickly, and Laurel tried Felicity, but she didn't answer. Probably busy, she'd call her back.

* * *

Mari had been helping Laurel learn to control her cry back in Detroit, and they got up early to see if there was somewhere nearby to carry on. Training with Mari was great.

Mari was great.

She smiled as they made their way back to the room, and Laurel's stomach had butterflies. That had been happening more and more the past few weeks.

They left mid-afternoon to meet the reporter Barbara had mentioned. A lady stood up as they reached the park bench. She seemed familiar. 

"Linda Park," she introduced herself.

"I'm Barbara Gordon, my friends and I had some questions about the Man in Green?"

"I can't do much more than tell you where he's been seen," Linda said. "And that he seems to have some kind of manipulation of solid light and can fly."

"Solid light?" Kendra asked.

"I have a friend who tried to explain it, he said it's something to do with photons acting as particles I think."

"Laurel," Mari said. She nodded at something.

 _"Metahuman."_ It hadn't spoken, but Laurel heard it. Mari stepped closer.

And Linda Park blasted it back with a beam of light. 

"You're not taking the Flash."

It snarled, and Laurel let out a Cry. It flew back, and she rushed over.

It had gone by the time she reached where it landed.

"Well," Laurel said. "I think we all have some explaining to do."

* * *

 

They took Linda back to the hotel with them, and she explained she was friends with Iris, and told them about her Earth-2 doppelganger.

"I've got one of them," Laurel said. "She calls herself Black Siren."

"Mine was Doctor Light. She was a thief, she didn't want to kill the Flash. Cisco made the gloves so I could pretend to be her and we could trick Zoom. It didn't work, but I got to keep the gloves."

"You're Iris' friend," Mari said.

"I know, she's told me. I would have gone back to Central a long time ago, but I got offered a job here. The Man in Green showed up a few days after the Dominators' attempted invasion, I've been making sure he's not here for Barry too."

"A.R.G.U.S. was involved with the Dominators, weren't they?" Barbara asked.

"It's always A.R.G.U.S.," Laurel said. "I'll call Lyla."

"She's busy." Barbara didn't look up from her laptop. "Leonard Snart's just broken in."

"Snart's dead," Kendra said. "He died at the Vanishing Point."

"He's looking for Dominator tech," Barbara said. "And whoever he's with walked in looking like Director Michaels and now look like Barry Allen."

"Hang on," Linda said. She pulled out her phone. "Hi, Cisco. You too. What's Barry up to? No, I'm just with some friends of yours, they've hacked A.R.G.U.S., yes, I know, but there's camera, Barry's there with Leonard Snart? Right. I know. You'll save her, Cisco, I know you will. I know. I'll see you soon, give Iris my best." Linda hung up. "Barry's borrowed a past Snart from one of your old Legends missions to help steal a power source so they can stop Savitar."

"It's today?" Laurel asked.

"They'll save her, I know they will."

"You might need to explain that later," Barbara said. "It says here the Dominators wanted the Flash because he travelled in time, they're telepathic, and they had some form of mind control."

"Where did the one earlier go?" Mari asked. She picked up her suit.

* * *

 

The Dominators had been hiding out in an old warehouse, five of them.

Barbara had told them about the devices the others had used to stop them, but they didn't have any, so they'd have to stick to mostly punching.

Mari looked amazing though.

A hammer made of a green light landed on one of the Dominators.

"Ladies," the Man in Green said.

Laurel really loved her new superpower. Two Dominators were knocked off their feet.

Four were in the middle of the room.

"Laurel, behind you," Kendra said. Laurel turned, and barely managed to dodge the punch. 

Mari leapt in, and threw the Dominator towards the others. 

"Thanks," Laurel said. 

"Any time."

Mari smiled. The butterflies were back.

Laurel kissed her. 

"You and Sara are definitely related," Kendra said. 

"You two are cute," the Man in Green said. He had a green bubble around the Dominators. "Thanks for your help, I'll take them back to space."

"Who are you?" Mari asked.

"A Green Lantern. See you later."

He flew off.

"That went well," Kendra said.

"Yeah," Laurel said. Mari slipped her hand into Laurel's. "Is anyone else hungry?"

* * *

 

"Green Lantern," Linda said. "It's better than Man in Green."

"Cisco won't be impressed," Mari said. "I think Black Canary is the only name with a colour he likes."

"He just likes Laurel," Linda said.

"Do we know yet?" Laurel asked.

"Iris is fine. That's all Barry said, they're still busy."

"Good," Kendra said. "We should work together again."

"We'll need a name," Barbara said.

"The Birds of Prey," Linda said.

"I like it."

"I think I have an article to write."

* * *

Laurel and Mari went up to the roof to talk the next morning.

"I do like you, a lot," Laurel said. "I should probably have said that before kissing you."

"I like you a lot too," Mari said. 

"Maybe we should start with coffee?"

"Coffee sounds great."

So, coffee was planned, and they were planning on heading back to Gotham that evening.

And then, who knew.

The Green Lantern appeared at lunch, and the costume was replaced with an old aviator jacket, a t-shirt, and jeans.

"Hi," he said. "Hal Jordan, space cop."

Hal explained how he'd become a Green Lantern, and how the ring worked, channelling willpower. How he'd come back to Earth after the Dominators had landed.

They explained their stories too.

Hal flew off again, back to space, which, weird, but Laurel's sister was captain of a time machine and she had superpowers, so that was just life now.

They dropped in to Linda's before heading to the train station. 

A streak of lightning ran past, and Linda opened the envelope.

"I think everything in Central is going to be fine." She help up the wedding invitation. "I'm sure I'll see you all soon."

"It was lovely meeting you," Kendra said.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"We'd love to," Barbara said.

* * *

 

Laurel's phone rang first.

"Hi, Cisco."

"Barry's gone."

"What?"

"HR took Iris' place, he died, and Savitar tried to get me to build him something to stop him being erased from existence but I got Jay out the Speed Force instead, and it just opened up,and Barry went in to stablise it and Caitlin's gone and Lian Yu just blew up, I think your lot were over there, and there's dinosaurs running round so the Legends are in trouble too, and Barry's gone."

"Cisco, slow down."

"Wally was in there, he had to watch his mother die over and over, what if Barry's the same, we just saved Iris, but he's gone."

"And everyone else?"

"I don't know."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Just stay with Joe."

"What's happened?" Linda asked. 

"Barry's in the Speed Force, Team Star City might be dead, and the Legends possibly brought dinosaurs back to life."

"Coffee can wait," Mari said. "Who wants to go to Central City?"

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the DC TV Femslash Week Day 7: Free Day  
> (dctvfemslashweek.tumblr.com)


End file.
